EDGE Interview: Derek Hough Happily Pushes Himself with 'Symphony of Dance'

EDGE: I love that you have live music for the show. How does it enhance it?

Derek Hough: Feeling the drums while dancing and feeling that beat in your chest just gets me so excited. There's nothing like that feeling when you go to a concert. Our saxophone player, Tom, when he comes down on stage and he's playing, he's so charismatic and has so much energy. I really love how we incorporate him within the dances. We have a beautiful cello player named Michelle, and she'll come down and she'll play this beautiful cello solo as we do a tango. The music is very much intertwined and very much embedded into the choreography and the dancing, so even if you weren't a fan of the dancing, you will love the music.

EDGE: Between "Dancing with the Stars" and "Symphony of Dance," how are you going to do it all?

Derek Hough: Just staying healthy, eating good, lots of sleep, physiotherapy, and a lot of ice baths. That's the secret to it all.

EDGE: "DWTS" fans are excited to have [your sister] Julianne joining as host. What is it like for you to continue to have this shared experience with her?  

Derek Hough: Oh, it's fantastic. I love seeing her at the beginning of the show just to say hi to her and her new puppy. Having her as the host feels good, and it feels right. She's been part of the show since season four and has been an important part of its success. To have her back in this role, and to see how great she's doing, is amazing. She's a natural. I really love sharing this experience with her. To be able to share a career parallel to a sibling is really unique and special.

EDGE: What can you say about the talent this season compared to others?

Derek Hough: Honestly, I think that this season has been more popular than ever, and has a lot of fan favorites that people really love. These celebrities aren't necessarily the most natural dancers, but that's what the show is about. We need to judge the dancing, and I always say that I must teeter on the edge of wanting to encourage everybody and being a fan of them. I'm charmed by them all, and I just love them all, but in the end I do have to judge them, and I must be fair. I think all around what I love about this season is that you see improvement each week from everybody. You can see from week one to now [how] everybody's gotten better, and I really love seeing that. That's what's enjoyable to watch.

EDGE: As a dancer, and now a judge, on "DWTS," what has Len Goodman meant to you?

Derek Hough: I've known Len since I was 13 years old. I first met him in London, and he was just charming. He was always a beautiful man. He always said what he saw, and was always honest. You either loved him for it, or you disagreed with him, whatever it was, but you always respected him. On this tour it was really important for me to have a moment to honor him. I dance a clean and simple waltz, which is something I know he would have loved. It's also an opportunity to have a shared experience with the audience, because as "Dancing with the Stars" fans they've also lost somebody that they've grown to love over the years. We all miss him terribly.

EDGE: As much joy that you're bringing to the audience, what does this tour give you?

Derek Hough: This tour is keeping me young. It's pushing my body to the limits. It's the fountain of youth for me. Yes, I get sore and feel tired in the mornings, but on the flip side, I feel stronger than ever. I feel more connected to my body. As a dancer, I was told that my shelf life was going to be in my early 20s, and I'm 38 years old now, and this is the best show I've ever done. There's nothing like performing live and having that shared experience with the audience, and it's a beautiful thing.

EDGE: Is there anything you'd like to promote?

Derek Hough: Not just yet, but there are some fun things on the horizon. I am excited about them, but I have to wait to share with everybody when they're ready to rock.

Derek Hough's "Symphony of Dance" continues through December 31 in cities throughout the country. For more information, follow this link.